The great migration of NHL players to Europe is about to go into reverse.

Some of the nearly 200 players who spent the lockout with European clubs had already started trickling back in recent days. That will become a flood after that the league and NHL Players' Association reached a tentative agreement early Sunday morning.

They will have the advantage of having played in games in the last three months while those who elected to stay home will be playing catch-up during a quick training camp before the truncated regular season opens later this month.

"I've been working out hard on the ice and in the gym and I'm mentally anxious to get back on the ice [for games]," said Vancouver Canucks forward Alex Burrows, who stayed home for the lockout. "We've been deep in the playoffs the last few years, so to get a rest and be able to work out and stay in the gym a little longer can be a benefit too.

"You try to make a negative into a positive."

The Kontinental Hockey League was a favoured destination, especially with the Russians as Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin, Washington's Alex Ovechkin and New Jersey's Ilya Kovalchuk were among that league's scoring leaders, just as they usually are in the NHL.

Bruins teammates Patrice Bergeron and Tyler Seguin and Ottawa's Jason Spezza all chose Switzerland but decided to return to Canada after the Spengler Cup tournament in late December.

Boston and Philadelphia led NHL teams with 11 players each who played in Europe, while Ottawa and the New York Islanders had 10 and Montreal had eight.

Flexible contractsGenerally, players signed contracts that allowed for a return when the lockout ended. Most played for little money, with some teams picking up prohibitive insurance costs against injury in lieu of salary. Montreal's Tomas Plekanec, who earns US$5 million per season in the NHL, reportedly played in the Czech Republic for a salary the equivalent of five cents.

Some spent the entire three months in Europe, others went over later and a few had only quick stops before returning to North America.

They included Winnipeg forward Evander Kane, who had an eventful lockout. The big winger played 12 games with Dinamo Minsk in Belarus before he was let go for what the team said was a failure to adapt to KHL hockey.

Kane got into more hot water in mid-December when he posed on Twitter with stacks of cash in his hands in Las Vegas, which some saw as the wrong message while idle players were working on a new contract.

Some players are not expected to return at all, including Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn, who were let go by the Nashville Predators after they were suspended for breaking curfew during the playoffs in May. Both are playing in the KHL. Kostitsyn's brother Sergei was signed to a new contract by Nashville, however.

Many European players went back to their home countries, including veteran Jaromir Jagr, who played for a team he owns in the Czech Republic.

A lot of North American players went over as well, although not all could go because most leagues had rules limiting the number of foreign players.

Different situationsBurrows said players had a variety of reasons for going or staying home.

"Guys have families. Guys have different contracts, or are at different stages of their careers," he said. "A lot goes into it.

"Personally, we have a second kid on the way. My wife's due in a couple of months. So we'd rather spend quality time back home and spend the holidays with the family in Montreal."

Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby, coming off concussion trouble, wasn't about to risk further injury by playing in Europe. One wonders what his insurance would have cost if he had. The Canucks' Daniel and Henrik Sedin said they would only go home to play in Sweden if the entire season was cancelled.

Same with Washington Capitals defenceman Roman Hamrlik. At 38 and near the end of his career, the Czech elected to work out with other locked out players in North America.

"I'm in a different situation because I'm an older guy and I have a contract with the Capitals," he said. "If I go play for my hometown team and I get injured and then they sign a deal here, I don't think that would be the best solution for me.

"I was just hoping [the lockout would end], and trying to keep in shape by skating with the guys."

Many European clubs were eager to sign NHL stars. Others refused to have any.

Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brown said he wouldn't go to Europe because it would mean taking a job away from another player. Some North Americans who play regularly in Europe got bumped by incoming NHLers.

Perhaps now they'll get their jobs back, and European leagues can go back to normal, as they did after the lockout that erased the entire 2004-05 campaign.

Tarasenko was playing on a line with Kovalchuk in the KHL and did very well. 31 GP, 14 G, 17A, with only 14:47 avg ice time. He is the only top 50 point getter under 16 minutes per game and most of them are over 17 minutes per game. So he can play with the big boys. Looking forward to seeing him in a Blues uniform.

abc789987 wrote:I thought I read somewhere the players were contractually obligated to come back and play in the NHL after the lockout was over?

The only thing I read was about them making sure the KHL was obligated to allow them to come back....I've never head anything about making them com back.

You can't force them to come back to the USA. Plus I'm no lawyer but contract law is most likely different over there than here.

Official Sponsor of "The Barn"2013-2014 Official Sponsor of David "Captain America" Backes2012-2013 Official Sponsor of David "Captain America" Backes2011-2012 Official Sponsor of David "Captain America" Backes2010-2011 Official Sponsor of Brad Winchester2009-2010 Official Sponsor of Paul Kariya

The KHL is honoring the agreement they have with the NHL and had items written into their KHL contracts that allowed the players to return to the NHL and play if the lockout ended.Now, whether the player wants to return...that's a different story.

My understanding of the agreement is that players under contract in the NHL cannot be allowed on the ice in the other leagues. They aren't forced to return home, but they can't play hockey over seas either.

In order to place this in effect, the lock out must be lifted and the NHL must file a grievance for breach of contract with the international hockey folks.

not_a_wings_fan wrote:In order to place this in effect, the lock out must be lifted and the NHL must file a grievance for breach of contract with the international hockey folks.

Yeah, looks like the KHL was ready for that. They are taking the stance that since players current contracts with the NHL were under the old CBA, they are not binding under the new CBA. I have no idea if that argument would hold any water in court (hearing) but that's the stance their are throwing out there.

not_a_wings_fan wrote:In order to place this in effect, the lock out must be lifted and the NHL must file a grievance for breach of contract with the international hockey folks.

Yeah, looks like the KHL was ready for that. They are taking the stance that since players current contracts with the NHL were under the old CBA, they are not binding under the new CBA. I have no idea if that argument would hold any water in court (hearing) but that's the stance their are throwing out there.

I am 100% certain there will be clear legal language in the CBA regarding existing contracts. I am also 100% certain that the KHL logic won't fly with the IIHF, who would arbitrate the dispute.

Nothing can be done until the CBA is ratified.

If it's a player that is a pain in the ass, their NHL club can also just void their contract for failing to show up and the grievance is moot.

@SlavaMalamud: KHL Prez Medvedev to SportsDaily.ru: New CBA may be basis for terminating existing contracts, some players will stay.@SlavaMalamud: More Medvedev. "NHL's opinion of itself is so high... OK, let them get drunk on their greatness. We'll see how many Euros look our way"@SlavaMalamud: And more Medvedev. "Our league will act according to our own and international rules. If players decide to stay, we will help them."@SlavaMalamud: And more Medvedev, who is winning the internet tonight: "There is no reason to fear (IIHF's sanctions against players who decide to stay)"@TGfireandice: On Medvedev comments of KHL possibly challenging NHL contracts, Bill Daly said "We have no response. We will see what happens."@SlavaMalamud: "Number of players have either decided to stay or are looking into it.. Can't divulge their names, will cause speculation" - Medvedev, again@SlavaMalamud: "Some players asked their NHL teams to stay for the (KHL) All-Star Game, but were denied. The selfishness is understandable" - Medvedev

@SlavaMalamud: KHL Prez Medvedev to SportsDaily.ru: New CBA may be basis for terminating existing contracts, some players will stay.@SlavaMalamud: More Medvedev. "NHL's opinion of itself is so high... OK, let them get drunk on their greatness. We'll see how many Euros look our way"@SlavaMalamud: And more Medvedev. "Our league will act according to our own and international rules. If players decide to stay, we will help them."@SlavaMalamud: And more Medvedev, who is winning the internet tonight: "There is no reason to fear (IIHF's sanctions against players who decide to stay)"@TGfireandice: On Medvedev comments of KHL possibly challenging NHL contracts, Bill Daly said "We have no response. We will see what happens."@SlavaMalamud: "Number of players have either decided to stay or are looking into it.. Can't divulge their names, will cause speculation" - Medvedev, again@SlavaMalamud: "Some players asked their NHL teams to stay for the (KHL) All-Star Game, but were denied. The selfishness is understandable" - Medvedev

What a douchebag.What owner in his right mind would allow his star players to risk injury and miss out on part of a shortened training camp to play in another league's exhibition game in Russia?

Detroit Red Wings star forward Pavel Datsyuk has been given permission by the team to participate in the 2013 Kontinental Hockey League All-Star Game, according to his agent Gary Greenstin in an interview with the Detroit Free Press on Wednesday afternoon.

Datsyuk is supposed to return to the US on the 14th. Not sure what time on the 14th, but it's possible he may not get on the ice for training camp until the 15th with the season starting on the 19th. I know he's been playing over there and should be fine...but still. Maybe he'll tweak a knee or something.

not_a_wings_fan wrote:My understanding of the agreement is that players under contract in the NHL cannot be allowed on the ice in the other leagues. They aren't forced to return home, but they can't play hockey over seas either.

In order to place this in effect, the lock out must be lifted and the NHL must file a grievance for breach of contract with the international hockey folks.

The point is moot if the player is released by his NHL club.

That was my understanding of it as well. However, having an agreement and being able to enforce the agreement are not necessarily the same thing. I'm curious how it will play out if players want to stay in the KHL? Let's say it goes before the IIHF, and they rule in favor of the NHL, but the KHL says they aren't sending them back. What then? Maybe I underestimate the IIHF's power, but it seems that this agreement is more based on trust/respect than it is on actual consequences.

IIHF Transfer Rules wrote:When a player plays without a valid transfer card the following will apply:- The IIHF General Secretary shall sanction the new Member National Association of the player with a fine of CHF 5’000.- and request the Member National Association to advise the club that the player has to stop playing until provided with an ITC.- Should the player continue to play without an ITC, the matter will be submitted to the IIHF Disciplinary Committee. The following sanctions shall be applied by the IIHF Disciplinary Committee:-Member National Association: Fine of minimum CHF 5’000.- and up to CHF 150’000.- (maximum) per game the player played without ITC since the IIHF General Secretary’s intervention. -Club: Ban on international transfers (during international transfer period) of minimum 3 months and up to 24 months (maximum). -Player: Suspension from IIHF Competitions for minimum 1 year and up to 3 years (maximum).In exceptional circumstances the IIHF Disciplinary Committee may abstain from putting forward any sanctions against either party.

They can play, but it will cost a ton of cash and mean the league will have issues with transfer players for a good long time, stop players from playing in international competitions, and generally be a big problem.